Secrets
by NotYetLostFaith
Summary: Kate's keeping something from Castle and he's determined to find out. Not for a book thing, just because it's clearly important to her and he wants to know. Set end of S2/beginning S3 (He never left for the summer (with Gina or otherwise) or invited Kate to the Hamptons (everything else is cannon))
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note-This story popped into my head and forced all my other stories out until it was written, so I thought it best to write it down. Each chapter is stupidly short. Most are under a page long, the shortest one so far not even hitting 300 words, but it's how it came to me. I hope you enjoy it. I've written the vast majority of it already so posting should be quick and painless. Oh, one more thing. One of the most frequent complaints I get is my dialogue tags. Here's the thing, the way I write is the way I've been writing forever. I like the way I write. But I understand that some people find it confusing and I'll try to make it less so. But I'm aware of it okay? Okay. Read, review, enjoy NYLF xx

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Castle watched from the break room while he was making them both coffee. Kate was smiling, properly smiling, all teeth and sparkly eyes, as she listened to whatever was going on on the other end of the phone. In the two years he'd been working with her, he didn't think he'd ever seen her so happy.

She'd once told him that there were many layers to the 'Beckett-Onion' but the only one he was itching to peel was the one she kept closest to the vest.

For a cop, the lead detective in the team no less, she worked amazingly regular hours. She always left at five, on the dot, without fail. Sure, the odd occasion where they were working a lead, or on stake out, or undercover, she'd stay longer, but she'd always excuse herself first. Both Ryan and Esposito would nod, both looking far more in the know than he was, and then she'd disappear for five or ten minutes. When she came back there was absolutely no indication where she'd been and she ignored him when he asked. By the third or fourth month of working with her, he'd stopped asking.

Kate hung up the phone and schooled her features back into her professional impassive mask, just as Castle made his way back over, coffees in hand. She nodded in thanks before getting back to the file in front of her.

There was something there, he could feel it. The boys knew, and he'd bet his bottom dollar that the Captain did to, given the nod he always gave her when she left every night.

He knew about her mother, the ex boyfriend that left her for his job, the alcoholic father. He knew things about her many others didn't. He just didn't know why she felt she couldn't trust him with what must be one of the biggest secrets she had, given how closely she was guarding it.

He would find out, but it would take time and patience.

He didn't want to know for Nikki, this wasn't a book thing. This was a Beckett thing. He wanted to know, because he wanted to know her. Really know her. In a 'I'm going to make you my wife and grow old with you' kind of way.

"Castle? You with us?" Right, she was talking. Castle shifted his eyes from his cup and looked up at her.

"Yeah, I'm here." Kate gave him an odd look before nodding and turning to say something to the boys.

He would find out even if he had to wait forever. He wanted to know about her life outside these walls but he'd never disrespect her enough to be underhanded about it. He'd learnt his lesson with her mom and never wanted her to feel like she couldn't trust him. He'd just have to prove he could be there for her and that he was a good enough friend, that she could tell him her greatest secret.


	2. Chapter 2

"So Oliver Patronelli killed his girlfriend and her lover in a fit of jealous rage and then hung around for four hours before he called the cops?" Castle asked incredulously as the team stared at the murder board later that evening. Kate sighed.

"He's right. It makes no sense. But he never left the building. He entered at three fifteen and didn't leave again until the uniforms met him. Marie and Gretta were killed at three twenty. We can only presume, seeing as he's shut up tighter than a a poor man's purse strings, that he walked in, found them both, shot them both and then well, then he..." Kate tailed off.

"We have no idea what he did for the next four hours, do we? We know that the victims were shot and killed at three twenty from both witness reports of gun shots and from Lanie's findings and that the boyfriend called it in four hours later." Ryan summarised slowly, making sure nothing had been left out.

"What we don't know is what happened in that time frame. And, seeing as he isn't talking, and we have no other leads, we're back at square one." Esposito concluded. Kate sighed while they all turned back to the board. Kate's cell rang against her desk and she reached for it without taking her eyes off the board.

"Beckett." She answered distractedly. Suddenly her face fell and she looked at her watch before cursing. "Shit. I'm sorry Frankie." She quickly gathered her things before running toward the elevator without as much as a backward glance. "I'm sorry. I'll be there as soon as I can." Castle watched in confusion as his partner sprinted to the elevator and slipped in.

"What was all that about?" He asked the boys, puzzled. "Who's Frankie?" He continued when neither of the male detectives answered him. He turned to face them only to notice that they were staring back at the board, determined to solve this one. "I didn't know Beckett had a new boyfriend?" Castle hedged. No dice. Neither man gave him anything more than a non-committal shrug. The writer sighed before setting back to work. If he solved this for her, maybe she'd grant him the information he craved.


	3. Chapter 3

When Kate got in, half an hour late, the next morning she looked like death warmed over. Castle watched from his seat beside her desk as she trudged, there really wasn't another word for it, across the floor and sat heavily in her chair. Castle smiled at her gently and pushed her coffee towards her. He received an ever so grateful smile before she guzzled half the cup in one mouthful.

"You either had a really good night, or a really bad one." He summarised slowly.

Kate glared at him, though the exhaustion clearly painted on her features dampened the desired affect.

"I'm just saying, this type of tired either comes from sex, or fighting. So, which is it?" He jested gently, trying to tease her out of her self. She looked as though she was either going to collapse and fall asleep right there on her desk, or burst into tears, and he really couldn't bare to watch either.

"Step off Castle." She murmured and he knew that if she was ever the tiniest fraction more awake, it would have a lot more bite to it. "Not today okay?" Castle nodded, leaning back in his chair to let her have those few inches more space, sensing that if he pushed her today, she'd end up saying something he'd regret. "Espo?" She called to the younger detective, who in turn looked up at her. "What have we got?" Esposito smiled.

"We solved it, confession and everything. He had a lover, two floors up from the crime scene." Kate shook her head, incredulous.

"So, he shot his girlfriend, and _her_ girlfriend, and then left to sleep with his _other_ girlfriend, until he phoned us, to say his girlfriend had been shot?" The Latin detective laughed.

"Yeah, pretty much." Kate shook her head again.

"Classy." She muttered, before finishing the other half of her coffee in one gulp. The detective stood and made his way over to her desk, leaning beside her right side as he leaned down so as not to be overheard by the entire precinct.

"Bad night?" He asked gently, piquing Castle's interest and drawing a sigh from Kate.

"Yeah." She murmured softly, eyes fixed on the now empty mug.

"Really bad night?" He continued softly, knowingly, and Kate sounded close to tears when she mumbled "yeah."

"You know, if you ever need a night off..." Kate nodded before thanking him. Esposito nodded back and squeezed her shoulder gently before going back to his own desk. Castle had a sudden urge to hold her as he watched Kate slump even further for a moment before getting to her feet and dragging herself to the break room, to get her second coffee in the ten minutes she'd been in the building.

He had no idea what was going on, but didn't like the sound of it.

He'd seen Beckett bone tired, exhaustion clinging to her like a second skin, before but he'd never heard her that close to tears because of it.

There was something else going on behind the scenes and he was now dying to find out. He wanted to support her because whatever had her not sleeping and nearly crying at her desk was clearly not good and it had him all sorts of worried.


	4. Chapter 4

The team got a call from dispatch later that morning about a young woman shot and killed in her home. They worked the scene and did their detecting and found two people of interest to talk to, the boyfriend and the best friend/roommate. Ryan and Esposito took the roommate, currently at work, while Kate and Castle took the boyfriend.

"You know that you can tell me stuff right?" Castle started out of the blue mid way through the drive. Kate shot him a quizzical look.

"Yeah." She said at length.

"And you know that just because you tell me something it doesn't mean it will make its way into the book right? I respect your privacy Beckett." He watched as Kate's features softened slightly.

"I know you do. You may weasel information out of me but I wouldn't tell you those types of things if I didn't trust you." Castle smiled.

"Good. So, if you ever wanted to tell me what Esposito is offering you a night off from..." he left the statement hanging. Kate sighed.

"Not now, okay? I'll tell you at some point, I'm sure I will, just..."

"Not now." Castle finished. Kate flashed him a grateful smile as they pulled up at the house and left the car.

"Mr Bishop?" Kate greeted as he opened the door. The young man nodded. "My name is Detective Kate Becket with the NYPD, this is Richard Castle, may we come in?"

"Uh, sure." Luke Bishop nodded and stepped to one side so they could enter before closing the door behind him. "What's this about?" He asked pensively. Kate flashed him a empathetic smile.

"We are lead to believe that you are dating a Harriet Summer?" Luke nodded.

"Yeah?" He asked at length. "Is she okay?" Castle was starting to get a weird vibe from him but he dismissed it; still worried about Beckett, his radar was off.

"I am sorry to have to deliver this news but Ms Summer was found murdered in her apartment..." Kate never got to finish. Bishop had grabbed a golf club from beside the couch and swung, striking Kate across the side of her face. The last thing Castle heard before Bishop swung for him, was Kate going down with an almighty crack.


	5. Chapter 5

"Kate? Please, wake up, Kate." Kate's eyes fluttered open as Castle's voice filtered into her conscience. "Oh, thank _god_!" He gasped in relief.

"Castle?" Kate asked groggily. She had a banging head ache; her mouth was dry and her vision blurry. She could just about make out the shape of her partner before she had to close her eyes as a wave of nausea hit her with force.

"You're okay, Kate. We called in where we were going, they'll find us."

"How long were we out?" Kate asked slowly.

"I was out for a couple of minutes, and you were out cold for almost twenty. I was getting worried. Thought I'd lost you there, Beckett." Despite the forced levity she could hear the pain behind his words.

"Do I look bad?" She heard him shuffle, closer she thought.

"Why? Do you feel bad?" He hedged. She sighed.

"I have a concussion." She paused to take account of herself. "Why does my wrist hurt?" Castle chuckled a little hysterically.

"We're handcuffed, to a pipe, separately." Kate nodded slowly before having to stop. "Kate, I'm not going to lie, you're bleeding pretty badly." The club had broken the skin, deeply, and hitting the floor hadn't helped. The gash on her forehead just wouldn't stop bleeding.

"That would be why I feel so light headed." Castle pulled at his cuffs hard. "Hey, no, Rick I'm fine." The use of his first name threw him.

"You're right, Kate. You're just fine. The boys will be back by now, wondering where we are, they'll come find us." Kate nodded again, her head lolling as if too heavy for her to hold. "Kate, try and stay awake for me, okay?" Castle begged.

"I have to tell you something." She murmured. Castle shook his head, trying to worm his wrist out of his cuffs.

"Tell me later. It'll give you something to stay awake for." Kate shook her head.

"The reason I run off all the time, why I leave at five every night." She paused, swallowed moisture back into her mouth before prying her eyes open to look at him. "I have a son, Rick."

He stared back at her, open mouthed, all thoughts of escaping fleeing his brain at this new information.

"The case, the Tisdale case, where I crashed your book launch? That was my first case back from maternity leave." Rick opened and shut his mouth a few times, trying to find something, anything, to say.

"So, Frankie's not your boyfriend then?" Kate chuckled weakly.

"No Castle, _she's_ my _babysitter_. Charlie loves her and she's willing to stay with him all day." Castle smiled gently.

"Charlie, huh?" Kate bobbed her head. "So, do I know the guy, have I met him?"

"I found out I was pregnant, shortly after Will was offered the Boston job. He didn't want to know. He left before the end of my first trimester."

"I'm sorry, Kate." He may have never liked the guy but he _was_ sorry. Kate deserved better than a guy that leaves when she tells him she's carrying his child.

"Thanks. I'm sorry, too, Castle. I should have told you." Rick shook his head and moved just far enough that he could stretch and take her hand.

"No, Kate, that was your news to share. Telling me two years ago, now, or never, it was your choice." He smiled at her reassuringly. "So, Baby Beckett, huh?" Kate chuckled.

"The boys call him that too. It's kinda adorable how much he loves it." Castle smiled.

"So he's what, nearly two and a half?" Kate nodded.

"In three weeks."

"I bet he's beautiful." Kate smiled softly, a smile he recognised as similar to his own whenever he talked about Alexis.

"I think so. And he's so smart, Rick." She was practically glowing in parental pride.

"Yeah well, with you as his mother, how could he be anything less?" She smiled softly. "Did Demming know about him?" Kate's eyes slipped closed slowly. "Kate?"

"The light hurts." She offered in explanation. "Yeah, he did. He never met him though. We broke up before we got serious enough to introduce them." She took a shallow breath, her hand growing limp in his.

"Hey Kate, I'm gonna get you out of here, alright? I'll get you home to your little boy if it kills me, Kate." She shook her head slowly.

"If, if something happens, will you look after him? You're such a great dad Rick and he'd love you so much."

"Kate." He started to reason with her but she shook her head again.

"Please, Castle. I need to know he'll be safe. Please." She begged, forcing her eyes open to find his. Castle nodded slowly.

"Okay. I promise. But I'm getting you out of here." Kate hummed in response before slumping against the pipe at her back. "Kate? Kate?!"


	6. Chapter 6

"Come on Kate, wake up. Please Kate. Tell me more about Charlie. What does he look like? I hope he looks more like you than his father. Sorenson in toddler form isn't attractive in my head." He was babbling and he knew it, but he was desperate. She'd been out for four minutes now and from what little he could ascertain from his position, it wasn't good. Her breathing was shallow and, once he'd managed to near on break his wrist twisting to hold hers, he found her pulse thready. If he didn't need to be strong, to be coherent enough to tell help he knew were coming about her condition, he'd have broken down by now.

Suddenly there was a banging at the door.

"Mr Bishop?" Esposito's voice filtered through the door. Castle could have wept with joy.

"Espo in here!" He cried as loud as he could. "Kate needs help!" The door cracked off its hinges as the detective kicked it in and Ryan ran towards them.

"Hey, what happened?" He asked urgently, unlocking Castle's wrists with his key.

"Bishop caught us off guard. Whacked Kate in the head with a golf club, she was out for twenty minutes before she came round. We talked, had a coherent conversation but she started fading fast. She's only been unconscious again for about five minutes." Esposito offered him a hand up while Ryan carefully released Kate and gently lowered her to the floor. Castle stood back while Ryan checked her breathing and timed her pulse and Esposito called for an ambulance.


	7. Chapter 7

A low monotonous tone filtered into Kate's hearing as she slowly fought her way back to consciousness. She forced her eyes open, blinking blindly in the harsh lighting of her hospital room.

"Kate?" She looked to the side of her to her bedside chair, finding Castle sat, watching her eagerly.

"Hi." She croaked. His smile almost split his face as he stepped up to the side of her bed, gently taking her hand in his.

"Hey." He murmured. "How you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess. What happened?" Castle motioned to the side of her bed and she nodded. He perched on the edge careful not to jostle her.

"What's the last thing you remember?" She looked over his shoulder for a moment and he could see trying to find the memory was painful. He gently squeezed her hand, flashing her a reassuring smile.

"Uh, we were talking to the victim's, boyfriend?" Castle nodded.

"Luke Bishop." Kate nodded slowly.

"Yeah. We arrived and he let us in and..." Castle squeezed her hand again, taking pity on her.

"He hit you Kate. He picked up a golf club and swung it into the side of your head. You have quiet a sever concussion and you had to have four stitches across your temple." Kate's hand came up to find the bandage but Rick captured it before it could make contact. "That would hurt Kate." She nodded. "You were out for about twenty minutes before you came round. We were handcuffed to a pipe. We talked for a few minutes before you passed out again. You'd lost a fair bit of blood."

"Are you okay?" Rick smiled.

"I'm just happy you're awake." She flashed him a smile before turning to him seriously. "What's wrong?"

"Charlie?" Rick squeezed her hands.

"He's with the boys."

"At the precinct?" She asked incredulously.

"They said they were gonna show him lock-up." Kate's jaw dropped slightly before she moved to get out of bed. "Hey, Kate I'm kidding." He assured her, gently laying his hand on her shoulder to make her get back in bed. "Wow you _are_ concussed if you believed that." She gave him a sheepish smile.

"Where is he really Rick?" He smiled softly.

"At mine. Once we knew you were safe, Ryan went to get him. I told him he could take him back to the loft; Espo joined him about half an hour ago. You've been out for about an hour." She processed all the information he'd just given her. She nodded quickly and gave him a small smile.

"Thank you Rick." He squeezed her hands with a half smile.

"You should have told me Kate. I wouldn't have judged and I respected you more than to put him in Nikki Heat if you had asked me not to." Kate shook her head.

"Castle, Charlie is the single most important thing to me in my entire world. Telling people about him isn't something I make a habit of, for his safety as much as my own piece of mind. I would never forgive myself if he was affected by what I do."

"I understand that, of course I do. My priority has always been keeping Alexis out of the media, you know that." Kate nodded. "But, I hope you know, I will always be there, for the _both_ of you, whenever you need me." Kate smiled gently.

"Thank you Castle." He leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"Always."


	8. Chapter 8

Castle had just gone for coffee when Will arrived in her doorway an hour later.

"Will? What are you doing here?" Kate asked softly. He quickly came into the room and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Someone from the precinct called me. Said you were in hospital and they didn't know what was going on with the baby." Kate shook her head.

"He's two Will, he's hardly a baby anymore." He gave her a small smile.

"I know that, Kate. Believe it or not, I can work out nine months time." Kate dropped his eyes in favour of staring at her hands.

"Why are you here Will? You left remember? You have no reason to be here." Will slipped his hand into hers.

"Kate, I left for the job, I wasn't leaving you." Kate scoffed.

"Sure, 'hey, I know I've just found you crying on the bathroom floor because you're pregnant, but I have a job in Boston and I'm taking it, love you babe.'" She mocked. Will sighed.

"Kate..."

"No. You left me Will. I was terrified. I was so young and had just found out I was pregnant and you just left." She said brokenly. "I, you said you loved me, you promised me forever and then..." Will gently cupped her cheek.

"I did, I do. Kate I never meant to hurt you. You know my leaving was the only choice I had if my career was going to go anywhere." Kate shook her head.

"I needed you." She murmured. Will sighed before resting his forehead on hers.

"I'm sorry Kate." He hesitated for a moment. "He, huh?" Kate smiled a tiny sad smile.

"Charlie. Second of November at three fifteen in the morning, five pound six ounces, twenty one inches long." Kate nodded. "He uh, he has your eyes." Will smiled.

"Looks like you though, right?" Kate nodded slowly. "Good. I hoped he would." Kate sobbed.

"You didn't even mention him." Off his look of confusion, Kate continued. "When Angela Candela was abducted and you called me onto the case, we worked together for all that time and, and you _kissed me_, Will. But you never even mentioned our son." She shook her head, wiping her eyes gently. "You could have asked after him, even asked if you could see him, but no. You didn't even mention the fact we had a son." Will sighed softly.

"I, I wasn't sure you went through with it. I knew how badly my leaving messed you up..."

"So you thought I'd terminate my child just because his father was a prize dick to me? Will.." She uttered in disbelief, wrenching her hand from his.

"Kate, I want custody." Kate's face fell so fast. "Not full but Kate, if something happened to you, I have no rights to him."

"You're on his birth certificate. You have rights, you just never exercised them." Will sighed and stood up.

"Your life is too dangerous to be a fulltime, single mother."

"Says you." Kate shouted, defensive and hurting. "You got shot last year Will, or did you forget?" Will flashed her a look.

"Of course I haven't forgotten but Kate, I have family around me that can help. My son is safer with me." Kate stared at him, mouth open, eyes wide in shock.

"Your, _your_..." She whispered. "Will, you've never even met him and you're calling him _your_ son? Will I..." She filtered off shaking her head in disbelief. "Get out."

"What?" Will asked confused.

"You heard me, get out. You have no right to waltz back into my life and dictate how I raise _my _son. Charlie is, and always will be, safe with me. _I _have family around me to support me, love me, care for us both. I don't need you. _He _doesn't need you. When he's old enough, he can make a decision whether or not to see you, in the meantime, I never want to hear from you again." Kate seethed. Will stormed from the room and down the corridor while Kate sank back into the cushions, her hand cradling where the bandage covered her head, the argument had made it throb, while huge tears rolled down her face.

That's how Castle found her a few minutes later when he came back. He didn't say a word, simply took her hand in his and squeezed gently. He felt her squeeze back and perched on the edge of her bed, more than happy to stay like that for as long as she needed.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note-Shortest chapter to date, and a wee bit filler-ish, but I wanted the meeting to be its own chapter. NYLF xx

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They kept Kate in overnight before telling her that they'd release her, so long as she had someone who could support her in her recovery.

Castle, who was yet to leave her bedside for more than half an hour, immediately volunteered, fully expecting her to put up a fight. When she agreed with minimal fuss, he was pleasantly surprised. But he understood that she was feeling vulnerable, what with Bishop's attack and Will's appearance, and knew that he'd look after her.

He was glad he could be that person for her.

Castle drove Kate home to collect some things for her and Charlie before driving her back to the loft, where the boys were baby sitting with Martha and Alexis.

It wasn't a long drive and they soon pulled up at his building where Esposito and Alexis met them to help them take Kate and Charlie's things up.

The two bags of clothes they could have managed themselves, it was the fold away carrycot, the bag of toys and all the equipment that came along with a toddler that required the extra hands.

Once Rick had let them in, and they had put everything in the spare room, Kate and Charlie's for their stay, to be sorted out later, Kate turned to him with a shy smile.

"So, I suppose there is just one last thing to do, huh?" Rick looked puzzled, making Kate laugh. "Rick, would you like to meet my son?" Castle smiled broadly.

"I would love to."


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note-I finished this story this morning so it's now the home straight. Only three more chapters after this. Enjoy NYLF xx

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Rick followed Kate down the stairs and tried to stay calm.

This was important, perhaps the _most_ important meeting of his life so far.

What if he hated him? If Kate's son hated him that would be terrible.

He was brought out of his musings by excited giggling.

"Hey baby boy." Kate cooed, scooping the little boy out of Esposito's arms and hugging him tightly. "Oh Mommy has missed you." Rick smiled at the scene before him. He'd seen Kate in so many different scenarios but 'Mommy Kate' was his favourite so far.

The toddler watched Rick curiously over his mother's shoulder and he watched him right back.

He was tall for his age, but given his parentage that wasn't a shock, and had Kate's chestnut hair. His cheekbones, nose, mouth and the overall shape of his face were identical to Kate. The only bit that gave away Will's involvement, were his eyes. Rick smiled at the toddler but only got a curious look back.

He heard Kate sigh softly before pulling back from her hug and moving her son to her hip.

"Charlie, there's someone I'd like you to meet." She started softly, leaning her head against the toddler's crown as she faced Castle. With the hand not wrapped around her son, she pointed to Rick. "That's Rick. He works with Mommy. Can you say 'hi' for me?" Charlie looked so terribly shy for a moment as he looked to Kate for encouragement. She gave him a soft smile and stroked his cheek with the backs of her fingers. "It's okay baby, he's not scary, I promise." Charlie looked back at Castle slowly.

"Hi." He whispered. Rick smiled.

"Hey Charlie. How are you doing? Bet it's nice to have Mommy home huh?" Charlie nodded. "Yeah, Mommy's pretty cool." Kate gave him a soft smile. Rick returned it before turning to the other people in the room. "Thanks for the help guys. I owe you." Both boys shook their heads.

"You don't owe us Castle." Ryan assured him.

"We were just helping out our girl and her little man, no owing needed." Kate turned to them with a smile.

"Thank you, both of you." They both smiled at her and ruffled Charlie's hair before patting Rick's shoulders and taking their leave. Martha and Alexis both made themselves scarce, both having other plans, while Rick sat on the sofa and motioned for Kate to do the same.

"So, this is Charlie huh?" Rick asked, watching as the little boy snuggled into his mother's chest. Kate chuckled, wrapping both her arms around him and holding him close.

"Yeah, this is Charlie. So..." she started a little unsurely. "Is he what you expected?" Rick chuckled.

"Kate, I found out about him _yesterday_ and haven't left your side since, I haven't really had a chance to speculate." He left out the part where he was worried sick she was seriously harmed for Charlie's sake. Kate nodded, dropping a lingering kiss to the top of Charlie's head.

"I'm sorry it took _that_ for me to tell you about him." Castle shook his head immediately.

"Don't apologise, Kate. I told you, it was your decision." He watched the toddler breathe for a moment before turning back to Kate. "You seem to be doing a really good job with him." Kate smiled.

"I'm just doing what any parent does. I'm trying my best to keep him safe and happy, to make sure he always knows he's loved and cared for." Rick smiled.

"You're doing it Kate." She nodded shyly and dropped her head back onto Charlie's. "Are you tired?" He asked carefully. Kate shook her head without lifting it.

"I, I honestly thought for a minute there I would never see him again." She explained. Rick nodded understandingly.

"Tell you what. How about you stay here, enjoy some mother/son bonding time, and I'll go make you a coffee and some lunch. That sound okay?" Kate nodded gratefully.

"Rick?" She called after him before he got very far.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for getting me home to my son." Castle smiled warmly, choosing to not draw attention to the slight waver in her voice.

"Always Kate. Always."


	11. Chapter 11

Castle was pulled from his sleep by the distraught cries of a toddler. He sat up with a start, his sleep addled brain confusing these cries with the ones he'd been woken by nearly fifteen years earlier.

Realisation hit him quickly as he listened to the little boy scream. He couldn't hear Kate, but knew that she woke at a pin's drop so she clearly couldn't sleep through this, especially given how the tiny person that sounded so distraught was her own blood.

He sat there for nearly ten minutes, knowing it wasn't his place to interfere. He wasn't Charlie's father and wasn't his mother's romantic partner so he had nothing to do with the boy. But once he heard Kate pacing up and down his corridor, he decided 'friend' was enough to go offer his help as a someone who had done this before.

He climbed the stairs quickly and watched as Kate paced the hall, dressed only in a pair of shorts and a tank top, her purple silk rob hanging off her shoulders, cradling Charlie as he screamed bloody murder. Kate sighed when she saw him standing at the top of the stairs.

"I'm sorry." She apologised wearily, barely loud enough to be heard over Charlie. Rick shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. Alexis and mother are both out for the night and I don't mind." She flashed him a smile and resumed pacing. "Is he teething?" Rick asked knowingly. Kate shook her head.

"No. He doesn't like being away from me. Every time I'm away overnight, or I'm late coming home, he cries the entire night. It's like he doesn't know how to tell me he was scared and anxious, so he just cries." Rick nodded slowly.

"That's why you looked so tired the other day after Frankie had called and you ran out. Because you were late back and Charlie didn't like it." Kate nodded, gently bouncing the toddler on her hip in a desperate attempt to settle him.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Rick shrugged her off.

"Come here, let me have a turn."


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note-One more to go. NYLF xx

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Kate hesitated for a moment but after a reassuring smile from Rick, she expertly handed over the toddler and let Rick slip him onto his hip.

"Maybe warm milk would help?" She mused as she watched Charlie scream on her partner's hip. "Do you mind if I make him some?" Rick shook his head.

"Course not. You know where everything is right?" Kate nodded and pressed a kiss to Charlie's crown before running down the stairs. "Come on little man, how about we go sit on Mommy's bed and I'll tell you a story, see if that doesn't help just a little bit." Rick murmured before making his way into the spare room and swinging Charlie to sit on his lap while he leaned against her headboard.

Kate was securing the lid of Charlie's sippy cup as she made her way up the stairs. She startled slightly when she noticed the hall empty but soon pinpointed and followed Rick's deep baritone voice into her room.

She watched in the doorway as her son watched Castle with fascination, his distraught cries tapering off into soft whimpers.

"And the Good Fairy swung her magic wand up and ordered the Evil Witch to give up the Baby Princess. She stood and looked to run, but the Good Fairy's partners, the two Good Wizards, cut off all escape. The Good Fairy left the Evil Witch to her partners while she swooped in and saved the Baby Princess, holding her close and flying off to safety, her Plucky Sidekick in tow."

Kate smiled as she recognised the story before quietly slipping in and handing Charlie his cup. He didn't even look up at her as he started to sip his drink, his attention entirely captured by this wonderful story teller. She sat on the edge of the bed, intent on hearing the rest of the story.

"The Good Fairy took the Baby Princess home to her daddy, The King, who was so very happy to see her." Castle continued, gently stroking the back of Charlie's head. "And then took away her Wicked Step Mother so she couldn't hurt the Baby Princess anymore. Once the Good Fairy was happy that the Baby Princess was safe, she returned to her kingdom and filled out the royal decrees to keep the Wicked Step Mother locked up in the tower. Then, once she was done, she flew home and was home in time for tea with her own Little Prince. And they all lived happily, ever, after." Castle finished in a whisper as Charlie leaned against his chest and nodded off.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note-Here we are. This is the end. No throwing things, okay? This is how it ended in my head. There may or may not be a sequel If there is, it won't be out for a while as I have my op on Wednesday and a vast array of other stories I need to concentrate on. If you liked this, I would be honoured if you put me on alert for the future. Also, feel free to check out my other stuff on here or give me a prompt on tumblr or Twitter (same name on both as on here). It has been a brilliant ride and I hope to see you all soon. Thank you, NYLF xx

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Castle looked up at Kate, a slightly awkward smile on his face.

"Uhh, this isn't how I imagined I'd be in your bed the first time." He offered quietly. Kate smiled. "You okay?" He asked when she continued to stare at him. She nodded.

"It was a good story." She murmured. She stood and gently scooped Charlie up and kissed his forehead before carefully laying him in his travel cot. She watched the toddler breathe for a moment before turning back to Castle.

She jumped when she found him right behind her, a small content smile on his face as he watched her son sleep. Kate smiled to herself softly before leaning in and resting her weary head on his chest.

"Thank you." She muttered softly. Castle smiled and gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"You're more than welcome Kate." He whispered. He held her close before placing a soft kiss to her crown. "I'm just so grateful you're okay." He murmured thickly.

Kate pulled back just a little before staring at him for a moment. she drew her lower lip between her teeth as she debated before slowly closing the gap between them and kissing him in the most tender connexion she could.

"Me too." She smiled as she watched the besotted grin develop on his face before he drew her back in.


End file.
